• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.263-274
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• 2012

This study describes the hypertensive patients characteristics associated with the health incentive point program, and develops and analyzes a simple predictive model of participation in the program. Based on the Incheon Chronic Disease Management System(iCDMS), a model program of community partnership for hypertensive or diabetic patients detection and follow-up since 2005 in Incheon metropolitan city, a cross-sectional design was used in this study. An effective 10.844 adults sample was divided into groups according to participation in the health incentive point program and continuing treatment, and individual and health characteristics among groups were compared. Furthermore, the predictors associated with participation in the program were identified by the logistic regression analysis. After the health incentive point program in iCDMS was introduced, the number of hypertensive patients participation in the program increased 23.9 times which is vastly high given the various programs were provided. There were statistically significant differences among the groups: age(p=0.000), treatment compliance(p=0.000), and blood pressure control at the last measurement(p=0.000), in particular, between participation group(GroupI, n=246) and non-participation group(GroupIII, n=10,408). Furthermore, age over 60 years(OR: 0.33), treatment compliance(OR: 3.49~3.78) and blood pressure controls(OR: 2.13~2.30) were statistically significant predictors associated with participation in the program, based on the logistic regression analysis with GroupI and GroupIII. To increase participation in the health incentive point program, variables such as age, treatment compliance and blood pressure controls are more concerned. And, high-risk patients and family members need targeted health incentive programs.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 2017

Background: South Korea has experienced problems with excessive pharmaceutical expenditures. In 2010, the South Korean government introduced an outpatient prescription incentive program to effectively manage pharmaceutical expenditures. Therefore, we examined the relationship between the outpatient prescription incentive program and pharmaceutical expenditures. Methods: We used data from the Korean National Health Insurance claims database, which included medical claims filed for 22,732 clinics from 2011-2014 to evaluate associated pharmaceutical expenditures. We performed multiple regression analysis and Poisson regression analysis using generalized estimating equation models to examine the associations between outpatient prescription incentives and the outcome variables. Results: The data used in this study consisted of 123,392 cases from 22,372 clinics (average 5.4 periods follow-up). Clinics that had received outpatient prescription incentives in the last period had better cost saving and Outpatient Prescribing Costliness Index (OPCI) (received: proportion of cost saving, ${\beta}=6.8179$; p-value < 0.0001; OPCI, ${\beta}=-0.0227$; p-value < 0.0001; reference = non-received). Moreover, these clinics had higher risk in the provision of outpatient prescription incentive (relative risk, 2.772; 95% confidence interval, 2.720 to 2.824). The associations were higher in clinics that had separate prescribing and dispensing programs, or had professional staff. Conclusion: The introduction of an outpatient prescription incentive program for clinics effectively managed problems with rapid increases of pharmaceutical expenditures in South Korea. However, the pharmaceutical expenditures still increased in spite of the positive impact of the outpatient prescription incentive program. Therefore, healthcare professionals and health policy makers should develop more effective alternatives (i.e., for clinics without separate prescribing and dispensing programs) based on our results.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2017

The effort to measure and improve the quality of healthcare is a common health policy issue worldwide. Korean Value Incentive Programme is one of that effort, but some concerns exist. Compared to pay for performance program in other countries, it measures healthcare quality with relatively narrow performance domain using a small number of clinical indicators. It was designed without involving hospitals and other key stakeholder, and program participation was mandated. Highest and lowest performers get bonus and penalty using relative ranking. As a suggestion for development, the direction for quality management at the national level should be given first. Therefore the philosophy or strategy for quality improvement should be reflected to the program. And various domains and indicators of healthcare quality should be developed with active communication with healthcare providers. The evaluation method is necessary to be changed to provide achievable goal to the healthcare providers and attract quality improvement.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.17-45
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• 2017

Health Information Exchange (HIE) is expected to improve the quality and efficiency of care by allowing providers online access to healthcare information generated by other providers at the point of care. However, the adoption of the technology in Korea has been slow since its pilot program in 2007~2010 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. The objective of this study was to survey stakeholders on the incentive program for the facilitation of HIE adoption. We surveyed 39 experts representing 6 categories of stakeholders-provider, insurer, government, information service firms, customers, and medical informatics experts for the interviews. Interview questions included program objectives, program participation requirements, incentive payment method, and administrative burden for program participation. Experts indicated that the quality of care was the most important value the program should aim to achieve through the HIE adoption. They suggested that the requirements and administrative burden for participation should be kept at minimum to recruit a large number of providers to the program, which is an indicator of program success. Experts were divided on the payment method whether the incentive should be paid as a part of the fee payment scheme operated by the National Health Insurance (NHI) or should be a payment made independent of the NHI. The source of the divide was conflict of interest among stakeholders as to who pays for the program, and the insurer and consumer groups were against the NHI taking the financial burden. It appeared to be the most significant factor for the successful program launching to resolve the gap in perceptions about benefits of the technology among stakeholders and to win the willingness to pay for the program.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.19 no.4 s.68
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• pp.129-134
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• 2004

Educational programs for promoting occupational safety and health have widely been established in advanced countries, such as United States and Germany, in the area of disaster prevention Focused attentions and investments for safety and health education have been placed especially for small and medium sized companies. Recently, information technologies have also been applied for the development and management of educational programs in those countries. It is also worth noting that a wide variety of incentive systems has been implemented for managers and workers to voluntarily Participate in safety and health education. Based on the brief survey on incentive systems in advanced countries, this study proposes two different incentive models, such as 'Supervision Exemption Model for Participants in Safety and Health Education' and 'Compensation Program fur Educational Expenses and Losses', which may efficiently be employed in Korea. These incentive models may contribute to revitalizing the occupational safety and health education which has recently been dwindled due to the changes in governmental regulations.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.4388-4393
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• 2013

This study described hypertensive patients characteristics associated with a health incentive program, and analyzed the effects of the health incentive program on blood pressure control. Based on the Incheon Chronic Disease Management System (iCDMS), a community partnership program for hypertensive patients, a cross-sectional design was used. There were statistically significant differences between the control group (n=17,278) and the experimental group (n=5,020) in gender, age, points earned, and number of hospital visits. Furthermore, being male, being over 60 years of age, and points earned were statistically significant factors associated with blood pressure control. To increase the effectiveness of chronic diseases management systems, various health incentive programs will be developed and introduced.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.148-155
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• 2012

Since the reformation of the National Health Insurance Act in 2000, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) in the Republic of Korea has performed quality assessments for healthcare providers. The HIRA Value Incentive Program (VIP), established in July 2007, provides incentives for excellent-quality institutions and disincentives for poorquality ones. The program is implemented based on data collected between July 2007 and December 2009. The goal of the VIP is to improve the overall quality of care and decrease the quality gaps among healthcare institutions. Thus far, the VIP has targeted acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and Caesarian section (C-section) care. The incentives and disincentives awarded to the hospitals by their composite quality scores of the AMI and C-section scores. The results of the VIP showed continuous and marked improvement in the composite quality scores of the AMI and C-section measures between 2007 and 2010. With the demonstrated success of the VIP project, the Ministry of Health and Welfare expanded the program in 2011 to include general hospitals. The HIRA VIP was deemed applicable to the Korean healthcare system, but before it can be expanded further, the program must overcome several major concerns, as follows: inclusion of resource use measures, rigorous evaluation of impact, application of the VIP to the changing payment system, and expansion of the VIP to primary care clinics.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.95-110
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to evaluate work values of hospital employees. Their work values was compared with that of other corporate's employees or among that of specialties in hospital. It was surveyed to 893 persons; 164 in hospital and 709 in others. The work values of hospital employees are similar to that of other corporate's employees. But they have first priority to working environment, and emphasize monetary incentive much more than hierarchical development. There are some gap in work value between age groups in hospital, different from other corporate. That means hospital manager need to development the more developed work value in hospital. The work values are different in monetary incentive, hierarchical development, safety, working environment, creativity among specialties in hospital. The more special employees emphasize much more to monetary incentive, hierarchical development, working environment and the less special employees have priority to safety work value. Specially, because the hospital managers want to have safety than creativity, it must to make some changing program of work value for advance of future hospital.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.20-30
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• 2022

Purposes: This study purposed to evaluate the effect of a value incentive program(VIP) on the in-hospital mortality of acute stroke. Methodology: Study period was from January 2010 to December 2018. This study included 63 hospitals for acute hemorrhagic stroke that the mortality rate per month was more than one during study period. Independent variables were time variables and hospital characteristics such as hospital type, district and bed number. Interrupted time series analysis was applied to analyze the data. Findings: In case of general hospitals, the in-hospital mortality rate per month for acute hemorrhagic stroke tends to be increased by 0.03% in overall study periods but decreased by 0.32% after the implementation of the policy. On the other hand, tertiary hospital changes are not statistically meaningful. Conclusion: This study provides evidences how the VIP was effective in improving quality of acute hemorrhagic stroke care. General hospitals showed higher policy effect compare to that of tertiary hospitals.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 1998

This study was conducted to grasp the progress of the health management program in small scale industries with phenomenological approach. The industrial health care system compose of manpower, devices, and facilities such as medical resources, organization, service delivery system, financial resources, payments, and management system is important for the industrial health. Especially health management program should be provided feasible conditions to workers. The data collection period was 2 months from September 1 to October 30, 1997. The indepth interview results for health monitor, labors, and occupational health nurses were analyzed by Giorgis' phenomenological method. The major results were as follows: 1. The workers, health monitors and nurses felt that the subsidiary program of health management in small scale industries were necessary. This project for small-size industry can be set-up through complementary education for health monitors and resolvement of nurses' six suggestions. It is necessary to provide followings ; 1) Properly devision of industry 2) More clear guidance for health management at visiting time 3) Legitimate incentive system 4) Health education materials and devices 5) Change of fee and material payments at visiting 6) Budgets and system for medication and vaccination at visiting 2. Above all, it is suggested that the strategics of the health management program should be developed.